"Parents based in north London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced instructor to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily miss the phrase "initial stages" as mere an expression.
Yet, it may be the crucial aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of submissions have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted interest throughout the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that despite early scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they did not want history to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to instil.
He noted the tutor must be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
However, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who have similar doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from China to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been raised knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can possibly transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from babyhood will not automatically create the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
